MLS
"BARRIOS HAS LED HIS TEAM INTO THE AREA MORE THAN ANY OTHER PLAYER IN THE LEAGUE"
BY: MARCO D'ONOFRIO
SHINING BRIGHT THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY
THE GOOD Eyes will always be attracted to the brightest stars and the biggest names, but fans of Major League Soccer have been able to enjoy the hidden gems playing in the league. They may not be internationally known, but their play on the pitch has been a joy to a watch for those really paying attention. Michael Barrios of the Colorado Rapids is the perfect example of a player that many supporters may never have even heard of, but the winger has been sensational for his club. He has led his team into the area more than any other player in the league and still doesn't receive the recognition he deserves. Vancouver Whitecaps stud Cristian Dájome is another example of a player that is flying criminally under the radar. The 27-year-old has put his team on his back, having 42% of his team's goals midway through the campaign. Barrios and Dájome are just two examples of MLS talent that fail to garner the global attention or acknowledgement that they deserve. There is a plethora of others as well that help elevate the league to a standard that it has never seen previously in its history. While there is still a long way to go before it can be considered one of the elite domestic leagues in the world, it has made significant strides in recent years and it is because of the quality of talent that the biggest stars are surrounded by. While global superstars like Javier 'Chicharito' Hernandez and Gonzalo Higuain will draw people to the product, it’s the ability to uphold
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SOCCER360 SEPTEMBER • OCTOBER 2021
